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Hidalgo, Texas - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working outbound enforcement operations Friday at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge in Texas apprehended a fugitive found hiding in a commercial bus traveling south attempting to exit the U.S. to enter Mexico.

CBP officers came in contact with the passengers of a commercial bus traveling south to enter Mexico Friday morning. Prior to the bus exiting the U.S., CBP officers referred the bus to secondary for a routine enforcement examination. After all passengers had exited the bus, CBP officers boarded the bus to conduct an inspection of the coach area. In the rear portion of the bus, officers found a man hiding.

At the point of discovery, the man attempted to resist questioning and detention. The unidentified man was secured and escorted for questioning. CBP officers identified the man as Domingo Vazquez Rodriguez, a Mexican citizen, age 29 from Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico.

A check of a CBP database identified Vazquez Rodriguez as a fugitive wanted by the Edinburg, Texas Police Department on a charge of child molestation. Additional checks revealed that in 2007, Vazquez Rodriguez had been legally removed from the U.S. and deported to his home country.

Vazquez Rodriguez was detained by CBP and is scheduled to appear before a U.S. immigration judge. Pending appearance, Vazquez Rodriguez remains incarcerated. After the adjudication of his immigration charge, Vazquez Rodriguez will be transferred to the custody of the Edinburg Police Department.

Michael R. DeBruhl, CBP acting port firector, Hidalgo/Pharr said, “My officers did great work in identifying this man as a potential fight or flight candidate.” DeBruhl further said, “My officers reacted correctly and prevented this man from absconding and/or causing harm to himself or others.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.